Tales of the Unexpected

12 August 2025 - 27 July 2025

Region(s): Wellington, Manawatu- Whanganui, Hawke's Bay, Nelson, Canterbury

Type(s): presentations

The Royal Society Te Apārangi is running a national lecture tour by 2024 Rutherford Medal winner Professor Richard Beasley CNZM FRSNZ.

Richard will highlight unexpected findings from influential research programmes, including: 

• Should fever be treated?

• What is the optimal amount of oxygen for critically ill patients?

• Are party pills safe, and do they affect driving performance?

• Does smoking cannabis cause lung cancer?

• What was the cause of the epidemic of asthma deaths in New Zealand?

This research has challenged long-held clinical assumptions, advanced medical knowledge, and directly influenced patient care.

Book your free tickets for the following dates and locations, note seats are limited: 

• 12 August – Napier

• 13 August – Wellington

• 19 August – Manawatū

• 26 August – Nelson

• 27 August – Christchurch

For more information see: https://www.royalsociety.org.nz/news/tales.

About the speaker

Professor Richard Beasley, renown academic, physician, and researcher, is the founder and director of the Medical Research Institute of New Zealand (MRINZ). Richard is committed to challenging medical dogma and increasing knowledge through undertaking high quality clinical research which has the real potential to change clinical practice and reduce the burden of disease in Aotearoa New Zealand and globally.

Watch Professor Beasley in this video on the Royal Society Te Apārangi YouTube channel.